Undergraduate Research, Scholarship & Creative Activity
UC Davis has a long tradition of supporting undergraduate students' involvement in research, scholarship and creative activity. These experiences serve as a vehicle for understanding what it means to attend a premier research university, enhancing the quality of faculty-student interactions, and affording opportunity for a value-added undergraduate education.
All faculty members are involved in the campus mission of "Learning, Discovery and Engagement" and via a faculty culture of mentoring and advocacy for undergraduate research, the students can be too. Through these collaborations with faculty, "Learning" is extended beyond the classroom, "Discovery" leads to the pursuit of knowledge, and "Engagement" addresses the needs of the immediate and broader communities in which the work is focused.
The Office of the Vice Provost - Undergraduate Studies sponsors several programs in support of undergraduate research, scholarship and creative activity.
President's Undergraduate Fellowship (PUF)
PUF encourages UC Davis undergraduates to carry out an independent research or creative project under the guidance of a UC Davis faculty member. Funding is made available to meet direct costs associated with projects up to a maximum of $2000. Students from all disciplines are encouraged to apply. To learn more about PUF and to download an application, click on the above link.
Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF)
SURF encourages continuing UC Davis undergraduates to engage in summer research and creative scholarly projects under the guidance of UC Davis faculty mentors. Supplemental grants in the amount of $1000 are available to students which can be used in support of the research fellow's time and efforts; related travel; and/or other direct costs associated with the project. Students from all disciplines are encouraged to apply. To learn more about SURF and to download an application, click on the above link.
Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Research/Dean Keith Simonton Prize
Each year a graduating senior who has completed outstanding research or scholarship in any academic subject while at Davis that crosses formal disciplinary lines is awarded this prize. Seniors considered to be in the top five percentile of undergraduate researchers are nominated by faculty sponsors, department chairs, and/or program directors. For more information, click on the above link.
The Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Research
This annual award was instituted in 1998 as a way to emphasize the importance and visibility of the faculty's contribution to the mentoring of, and advocacy for undergraduate research. Although subject to the same review committee, this is award is not "paired" with the Chancellor's award to the student finalist. For more information and to learn how students can support a faculty nomination, click on the above link.
Explorations: An Undergraduate Research Journal
Explorations publishes the very best undergraduate papers submitted for review by UC Davis undergraduates. Often, several of the finalists are works that receive attention from the nomination process of the Chancellor's Award described above. The annual deadline for manuscript submissions is in May. For more information and to download a pdf version of the most recent journal click on the above link.
Undergraduate Research, Scholarship & Creative Activities Conference
Together with Student Affairs, Undergraduate Studies co-sponsors this annual conference, first instituted in 1989. The conference is designed to further stimulate interaction between students and faculty, and to acquaint undergraduates with the process and academic rigor of presenting their projects in a scholarly manner. For more information and to view abstracts of the most recent conference, click on the above link.
